Tobacco-tamping device



C. R. REDHEFFER ET AL TOBACCO TAMPING DEVICE Filed April 2-1, 1927 G771 AQW/P L NASO/ the finger.

Patented Nov. 15, 1927.

UNITED STATES CHARLES R. REDHEFFER, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AND HARRY L.

MASON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TOBACCO-TAMPING DEVICE.

Application filed. April 21, 1927. Serial No. 185,568.

The present invention relates to tamping devices and more particularly to a device.

7 to provide a tamping implement which can be used with one hand; and to provide other improvements as will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 represents a sectional elevation of a tamping utensil embodying one form of the present invention; Fig. 2 represents a plan of the utensil; and Fig. 3 represents a perspective of the device in use.

Referring to thedrawings, one form of the present invention consists of a tubular member 10 open at one end to receive the finger of the user and closed at its opposite end by a plate 11 which is apertured in the form of a guide slot 12 for the passage of a shank or stem 13. This member 10 is preferably tapered towards its closed end in order to form a. socket-like opening which will readily fit over and receive the finger of the user of the device.

For the purpose of tamping the tobacco in the bowl of a pipe, the shank 13 terminates upon its outer end in a tamping disc 14: which is fixed to the said shank and has a diameter sufficiently small to fit into the bowls of pipes which are now generally upon the market. The opposite end of the shank is provided with a pusher disc 15 which is fixed thereto and forms a movable abutment to take the thrusts imparted by This thrust gives the working or tamping stroke to the tamping disc 14; while the non-working stroke takes place by reason of a helical spring 16 coiled about the shank 13 and interposed between the pusher disc 15 and the end plate 11 of the member 10. The action of the spring as compressed between the movable pusher disc 15 and the plate 11 is to return the tamper to its inoperative position flush with the end of the tubular member 10.

By reference to Fig. 3, the operation of the device will be clear since it readily will be seen that the tubular member is fitted over the index finger of the user while the sides of the member are held between the thumb and the middle finger. In this position the utensil can be moved with one hand to a position where its closed end is over the tobacco well of the pipe where the tamping plate 11 is brought into contact with the surface of the tobacco, preferably being placed directly in the hot ashes or burning surface of the tobacco. In this position the index finger is reciprocated so that upon its movement toward the bowl the tamping disc 15 will depress and pack the tobacco well into the pipe and into a condition where it will readily burn steadily and evenly withoutdisintegrating and working upward in the bowl to spill over the sides as always happens unless it is properly tamped.

It will now be apparent that a complete unitary portable utensil has been devised for pipe smokers which can be conveniently carried in the pocket and which in operation serves efiiciently and effectively to properly pack the tobacco in the bowl of a pipe and maintain it in such condition that the pipe draws effectively and with best results.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. A. tobacco packing utensil for pipes, comprising a member arranged to fit over a finger of the user, and a tamping element slidably mounted on said member and arranged to be operated by said finger.

2. A tobacco packing utensil for pipes, comprising a tubular member arranged to receive a finger of the user, said member being closed at one end, a stem arranged to slide on said closed end, a tamping disc on the projecting end of said stem, a finger engaging disc on the inner end of said stem,

and a coil spring compressed between said finger engaging disc and the closed end of said member.

Signed at Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, this 14th day of April, 1927.

CHARLES R. REDHEFFER. HARRY L. MASON. 

